Against the background of the increasing use of the Internet, the browsing of Web pages on the Internet is widely done in recent years. A Web page is made up of text data, layout information by HTML, images, sound and video embedded in the text, etc. When a URL (location information) is designated, a browser as application software for the Web page browsing downloads image files, music files, etc. of a Web page from the Internet, analyzes the layout of the Web page, and displays/reproduces the Web page on the screen of a terminal. The browser generally has a variety of parameters for controlling various steps executed for the acquisition of HTML documents of Web pages (page acquisition process) and for the display/reproduction of Web pages (layout process).
In a non-patent document #1 shown below, it is explained that the user of the browser “Microsoft Internet Explorer” of the Microsoft Corporation can make settings regarding its Web page display operation through the “Internet option” dialog box, etc. For example, the user can make various settings such as customization/alteration of the security level, setting change or restriction level setting regarding cookies, disablement of the reproduction of animation or sound, etc. These settings are made for each window. As for the cookies, the document explains that the browser has been configured so that the user can change the setting regarding the cookies for each Web site by specifying and registering each Web site.
In a technique described in a patent document #1 shown below, the browser display parameters include a parameter “switching of layout rules” and the parameter can be set by a user operation. By setting the parameter, the user can select the optimum display layout in a browser window displayed on the screen of the terminal.
[Non-Patent Document #1]
Hiroshi Hayama, Akihiro Yoshikawa, Seiichiro Matsumura, Minako Toba, Can-do Series Editorial Office “Can-do Comprehensive Dictionary: Windows XP Professional & Home Edition”, Impress Japan Corporation
[Patent Document #1]
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2002-91420